Why is Sergio Garcia staying with the DP Tour?
One of the top names on the LIV Golf Series, Sergio Garcia, has said he is staying on the DP World Tour after declaring he was leaving just weeks ago.
The LIV Golf Series has created shockwaves in the golf world since before it’s inaugural tournament in June. Many players have jumped ship from the PGA or the DP World Tour to join the lucrative new Saudi-based tour.
Garcia wasn’t feeling the love
Among those who have pledged their allegiance to LIV is Sergio Garcia who originally renounced his World Tour membership to join the new golf organization full time.
The Spaniard already resigned his PGA Tour membership, announced during the thick of the 150th Open Championship from St. Andrews that he was leaving the DP Tourn because of a lack of love.
“I am quite clear about what I am going to do with the European circuit. Probably leave it,” said the former Masters champion. “I want to play where I feel loved, and right now in the European Tour I am not feeling loved.”
Rahm helps Garcia stay on DP Tour
On Monday Garcia had a change of tone as he spoke to reporters at ESPN. The driving force behind the shift in sights was the Ryder Cup. If the Borriol native definitively left the DP Tour he would have to forfeit his chance to play on Europe’s Ryder Cup team.
Garcia has been a part of every Ryder Cup team since before the turn of the millennium except in 2010. The European team has been notorious for their camaraderie and friendly relations in the tournament, and that is why they have been able to take seven of the eleven Cups since 1999.
“But thanks to the things that Jon Rahm said, and I had a couple of good conversations with guys on the [DP World] Tour, I’m going to hold off on that. I want to at least see what’s happening when the Ryder Cup qualification starts. See what kind of rules and eligibilities they have in there. If I agree with what they [are], I’ll definitely keep playing whatever I can on the tour and try to qualify for that Ryder Cup team. And if not, then we’ll move on. But it is definitely something that is in my mind.”
Stenson booted from Cup captaincy
LIV has made no secret of targeting the top names on the PGA and DP World Tour and has found loads of success in luring golf’s superstars to the newly founded league.
Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Henrick Stenson are among the top names that have joined the LIV Golf Series.
The Swede, Stenson, is the latest to join the tour and paid for his decision dearly. He announced he jumping ship to LIV, and was immediately stripped of his captains duties for the European team in the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome.
Garcia and Stenson will both be in Bedminster, New Jersey this week for the LIV series third ever event.